Fraternity Cited for Alcohol, Code Violations

By Marie Y. ThibaultNEWS EDITOR

Boston Police broke up an evening party last Thursday, Feb. 9, at the Delta Upsilon fraternity in Boston. David N. Rogers, assistant dean and director of fraternities, sororities, and independent living groups said that the house was shut down temporarily because the inspection certificate was not up-to-date.

FSILG Coordinator Christine E. McGill said that MIT Housing put all of the members who did not find alternate housing for the night in the Multi-Service room at the Sidney-Pacific graduate dormitory.

Rogers said that he, FSILG Coordinator Christine E. McGill, and the building safety facilitator worked the next day with the Inspectional Services Department and the Boston Fire Department to resolve the situation and meet code.

Another inspection was done Friday afternoon, and the members were back in the house by 4:30 p.m., McGill said.

In an e-mail to the fraternity presidents, DU President Philip E. Cassel ’07 said that one of the DU freshmen was cited with underage drinking.

The Boston Herald reported that Forrest J. Funnel ’09 “allegedly was chugging champagne from a bottle.” Funnel declined to comment.

Rogers said that he does not know if the Boston Police Department will investigate the underage drinking citation.

According to a BPD press release, a Licensed Premise Violation was issued to Cassel for infractions ranging from a disorderly house and blocked fire exit to an expired Inspection Services Department certificate. Cassel was also cited for serving alcohol to minors and will be summoned to Boston Municipal Court. Cassel did not respond to numerous requests for interview on Sunday and Monday.

The InterFraternity Council is conducting an investigation into DU’s possible violation of risk management policies, Rogers said. Every time there are possible risk management violations and a police report is generated, the IFC looks into the situation, Rogers said.

Assistant Dean of Discipline Yvonne Doyle will interview a fraternity representative and any persons being investigated, and if there is enough information, a hearing will be held, Rogers said.

A decision will be reached after the IFC Judicial Committee members deliberate over a list of violations.

Cassel wrote in the e-mail that the Boston police responded to the DU house as they were doing a drive-by inspection, not because of any complaints. According to the BPD press release, the detectives were attracted to the house because there was a large crowd of people waiting outside. Cassel wrote that approximately 150 people were attending DU’s “Drink of the Week” Party when plain-clothes Boston police tried to enter the house. The detectives did not identify themselves until they had pushed past him into the house, Cassel wrote. Once inside, they verbally identified themselves but only flashed a badge after some of the fraternity members demanded it.

DU was “cited for keeping a disorderly house and failure to maintain a valid inspection certificate,” Cassel wrote. He did not mention the citation he received for serving alcohol to minors.

According to Cassel’s e-mail, DU’s inspection certificate had expired in April 2005 and had not been renewed because of a failed Boston Fire Department inspection last summer. After completing repairs, DU paid the re-inspection fee and was waiting for the ISD to schedule another inspection, he wrote.

Cassel wrote that he shut down the party while the police took several names of party-goers.

According to the Boston Herald, the BPD police report said that Adelaide M. Fuller ’09 and Elizabeth Cook ’09 “were underage and appeared to be drinking.” Fuller and Cook could not be reached for comment.

Rogers said that ISD inspections take place twice a year and an egress inspection certificate is required for a lodging license. He said that a building safety facilitator works with fraternity house managers to stay up-to-date on inspections and necessary certificates.

IFC President Isaac J. Tetzloff ’07 said that most fraternity houses are up to code, and the issue will be discussed with all of the fraternity presidents at the next President’s Council meeting.